Yu-Gi-Oh: What If?
by MysteriousGirl92
Summary: What if Yami had decided NOT to play the Seal of Orichalcos to win the duel? There are two versions of the story, one in each chapter. Feel free to rate and review. :)
1. A Pharaoh's instincts

The Pharaoh was lost in thought, worrying about the outcome of the duel between him and his opponent, Raphael. So far, Yami had failed to overcome the obstacles his opponent had set for him. He didn't know what else to do to win the duel… unless…

No, he couldn't. He wouldn't _dare_ use that card, but the stone wrapped around his neck, as well as the very card staring at him, was convincing him to take the chance. To make him the victor in order to keep his title as 'The King of Games'.

"I'm out of options," the Pharaoh thought. "There's only one card in my hand that can free my dragon, so I can win the duel."

The card was right there, staring at him, waiting for him, coaxing him to do what he must in order to win.

* * *

The voice of the card was playing in Yami's mind, like an image of a tiny demon appearing on his right shoulder.

"What are you waiting for, Pharaoh? Do it, use my power to help you win this duel and defeat Raphael. I can save your dragon, help you win and take your opponent out… for good."

Yami's eyes widened at the sudden thought. The urge to play that card was strong, but not yet strong enough to make him use the card's incredible but dangerous power to help him out.

"I can make you unstoppable, powerful beyond your wildest dreams. You'll never have to worry about losing the duel. If you win with my power, nothing and no one will ever stand in your way. This is your chance to set things right and it would be such a shame to waste it."

The card was reeling him in, increasing its chance of getting Yami to use its power to prevent him from losing the duel. However, Yami had a sudden thought.

* * *

"This card is powerful but very dangerous." Yami thought. "Activating it would save my dragon and help me win… but… if I lose the duel without the Seal of Orichalcos in play… nothing would ever change. Yugi and I would be safe from harm and so will my opponent. No lives would be at stake. No souls would be taken."

The card, playing his mind, had second thoughts about Yami's hesitation.

"No, wait. Please think about this. You are the King of Games and the King of Games NEVER loses a duel. Use my power to help you defeat him. Trust me, I can make you stronger than your opponent is. You can't throw away your talent like this! Not while you still have the chance to fight and win!"

Yami, allowing his mind to do the talking, shook off the card's words attempting to influence him.

"There is no way I can win this duel unless I use the Seal of Orichalcos. Even if I tried to find another way to free my dragon, with De-Fusion in my hand, I would still lose the duel… but at least I get to keep my soul."

Yami closed his eyes and smiled, having made his choice and accepted his fate. He opened his eyes, with a serious look on his face, as his mind opened its mouth to speak once more.

"I know what I have to do now." His mind finished saying its piece, giving the Pharaoh the chance to speak to his opponent.

"You want me to play this card, Raphael. You want me to take this chance to win the duel, if I _believe_ I can win the duel, that is. Yes, that is exactly what I would do in order to win… if I was a fool."

* * *

His blond opponent was shocked at the Pharaoh's decision. "So, you're _not_ going to use the Seal of Orichalcos to win?" Raphael spoke, unable to believe his ears.

Yami, on the other hand, was as cool as a cucumber. "No," he calmly replied. "I'm not going to take that chance. When in play, this card not only corrupts and strengthens the user and their monsters, but the monsters on the field become real, which would make sacrificing your monsters to win a duel a very selfish move."

Plus, there's a 50/50 chance that the user could end up losing the duel as well as their soul. However, you get to keep your soul if the card is NOT in play. So I won't be falling into whatever trap you had in store for me, Raphael. I may lose the duel, but at least no one would lose their soul."

Raphael frowned at his futile attempt to turn Yami to the dark side. "So what are you going to do, Pharaoh?"

Yami smiled, chuckling at the man's enquiry. "I know what I have to do. Raphael, you win."

Raphael, hearing those words, was knocked for six. He managed to regain his composure as soon as the duel ended, thanks to the Pharaoh's surrender.

"Such a shame, you could have used the Seal to win the duel."

It was now the Pharaoh's turn to talk. "Even if I _did_ win the duel with this card in play, it would be very difficult for me to get out of the habit of using its power to win the duel every single time. So I'm willing to make an exception: accepting my loss in a duel I cannot win or hope to win."

* * *

Raphael grunted in annoyance, as the stone-faced Pharaoh walked towards him. Yami, now a short distance from Raphael, ripped off the green-stoned necklace and removed the evil card from his hand. "Take these, I won't be needing them anymore."

The opponent swiftly removed the two objects from the Pharaoh's hand. Yami, smiling to himself, turned and walked away from the man who had a plan for him. A plan that could have cost the King of Games his very own soul if he made that one foolish mistake.

He stopped in his tracks as his other self stood before him, with a neutral look on his face. Yugi then smiled at his partner for his decision to steer himself away from the Seal's power.

"You did it, Pharaoh," Yugi spoke telepathically. "You had the card in your hand and you chose NOT to use it, no matter what the outcome of the duel was. I'm so proud of you, and you should be proud too."

Yami nodded in agreement. "I _am_ proud," the Pharaoh spoke telepathically. "I could have lost the duel and my soul if I did play the Seal. My friends will be devastated that I gave up the duel before doing anything else, but someday… someday, they will understand why I did what I did."

And with that, Yami was at peace with himself.


	2. A choice between Light and Darkness

The Pharaoh was lost in thought, worrying about the outcome of the duel between him and his opponent, Raphael. So far, Yami had failed to overcome the obstacles his opponent had set for him. He didn't know what else to do to win the duel… unless…

No, he couldn't. He wouldn't _dare_ use that card, but the stone wrapped around his neck, as well as the very card staring at him, was convincing him to take the chance. To make him the victor in order to keep his title as 'The King of Games'.

"I'm out of options," the Pharaoh thought. "There's only one card in my hand that can free my dragon, so I can win the duel."

The card was right there, staring at him, waiting for him, coaxing him to do what he must in order to win.

* * *

The voice of the card was playing in Yami's mind, like an image of a tiny demon appearing on his right shoulder.

"What are you waiting for, Pharaoh? Do it, use my power to help you win this duel and defeat Raphael. I can save your dragon, help you win and take your opponent out… for good."

Yami's eyes widened at the sudden thought. The urge to play that card was strong, but not yet strong enough to make him use the card's incredible but dangerous power to help him out.

"I can make you unstoppable, powerful beyond your wildest dreams. You'll never have to worry about losing the duel. If you win with my power, nothing and no one will ever stand in your way. This is your chance to set things right and it would be such a shame to waste it."

The card was reeling him in, increasing its chance of getting Yami to use its power to avoid losing the duel. The Pharaoh, trying, but failing, to resist the temptation of using the Seal of Orichalcos, reaches his hand towards the card slowly yet hesitantly.

"I must play the Seal of Orichalcos…" he thought, as his hand finally came into contact with the card. The card's voice hypnotically spoke to him with a (non-existent) wicked smile.

"Yes. Yes, Pharaoh. Use my power to defeat him… and DESTROY him."

* * *

Just as the King of Games raised his hand, a familiar voice called out to him in a desperate attempt to stop him from making a grave, foolish mistake.

"Pharaoh, NO!"

Yami's eyes opened to the sound of the voice startling him. He looked up to his right, only to see his other self wrapping his arms tightly around his right arm possessing the evil card in his hands.

"Let go." ordered the Pharaoh.

"No," his other self cried, "You don't know what you're doing!"

Yugi's tone of voice was filled with worry and desperation. Knowing fully well what the card is capable of, he had no choice but to step in and stop him from using the very power that, when activated, has the ability to take the soul of whoever loses the duel.

"What is he doing?" the malevolent card asked anxiously. "Do something, Pharaoh! Make him see sense."

Yami frowned in annoyance and harshly raised his voice at Yugi. "Let go!"

Yugi shut his eyes tightly, tightening his grip on his other half. "Listen to me," he pleaded in desperation. "This card is affecting your mind!"

The voice of the card suddenly had an angry and desperate tone to it.

"Don't listen to him! He's just trying to make a coward out of you. He cannot help you win the duel, but I can. I am the only one you can ever trust to save your dragon, make you unstoppable and defeat your opponent. Think about it. Think about the consequences of using me to help you, instead of that fool stopping you from claiming your victory."

With that, Yami was convinced that the Seal's power can save him and not hurt him.

"We're going to lose the duel!" Yami bellowed at the top of his lungs. "Can't you see? Trust me! It's the only way, Yugi."

* * *

Yugi summoned the courage to speak his mind, rendering Yami unable to move his arm. "NO!" he roared, like a beast intimidating its prey. "It is NOT the only way. DO YOU UNDERSTAND? I CANNOT LET YOU DO THIS! I _WON'T_ LET YOU DO THIS!"

A look of shock and disbelief slowly crept up on Yami's face. Never has Yugi raised his voice at him in his life. Never in Yugi's life.

"But Yugi…" Yami pled, his voice soft and small.

"No buts, Pharaoh." Yugi's voice was no longer soft and gentle, but stern and strict. His face was like thunder yet his grip was like a rope wrapped around someone's wrists.

"You know what will happen if you use that card and you're going to use it anyway? For what? Is winning the duel _that_ important to you, Pharaoh?" Yami felt as if he had just been hit by a train.

The voice of the card called out him. "What are you waiting for? Don't you know what will happen if you don't go through with this? You can't afford to give up now, not while you still have a chance to make things right."

Yami swallowed hard before opening his mouth to speak. "Yugi, you have to understand…"

"That you'll lose the duel, I know." Yugi interrupted, his voice unchanged. His face, however, softened.

"Even if you lose the duel, EVEN IF YOU LOSE THE DUEL, nothing would ever change. Or have you forgotten that? Have you forgotten all the times you would win the duel? What happens the opponent when they lose instead of you?"

* * *

The Pharaoh stood like a statue, his brain was going through the events of losing the duel with and without the Seal of Orichalcos in play. Yugi's voice interrupted his other half's train of thought as he released what he was holding for so long.

"Look at the card in your hand, Yami."

Yami did what he was told to do, and the card was staring at him again. "Which would be better? Losing the duel _with_ the card in play, or losing the duel _without_ the card in play?"

And with that, a sudden realisation came to the King of Games. The realisation of a duel that could not only corrupt him but also take his soul away from him.

"What am I doing?" he asked himself.

"Winning the duel," the card bellowed, echoing loudly. "Whatever he says, don't listen. Listen to _my_ words, not his. You are the King of Games and the King of Games NEVER loses a duel."

Yami turns his gaze to Yugi looking at him as if to say, "What are you going to do?" He turns his gaze back to the card in hand.

"I may be the King of Games," Yami spoke, telepathically to the card. "But I am _not_ the King of Fools." He placed the card back into his hand. Yugi breathed a sigh of relief.

"No, wait! You're making a mistake! You have to trust me! I can make you stronger than your opponent is. Please don't do this." Yami ignored the card's pleas to use its incredible power. He parted his lips to speak.

* * *

"I have changed my mind," stated the Pharaoh. "I won't be using the Seal of Orichalcos." He looked at Yugi, who gave him a comforting look as if to say, "It's alright, Pharaoh. This duel is unwinnable, but you did the best you could and that's more than enough."

His blond opponent was shocked at the Pharaoh's decision. "So, you're _not_ going to use the Seal of Orichalcos to win?" Raphael spoke, unable to believe his ears.

Yami, on the other hand, was as cool as a cucumber. "No," he calmly replied. "I'm not going to take that chance. Raphael, you win."

Raphael, hearing those words, was knocked for six. He managed to regain his composure as soon as the duel ended, thanks to the Pharaoh's surrender. "Such a shame, you could have used the Seal to win the duel."

It was now the Pharaoh's turn to talk. "Even if I _did_ win the duel with this card in play, it would be very difficult for me to get out of the habit of using its power to win the duel every single time. So I'm willing to make an exception: accepting my loss in a duel I cannot win or hope to win."

* * *

Raphael grunted in annoyance, as the stone-faced Pharaoh walked towards him. Yami, now a short distance from Raphael, ripped off the green-stoned necklace and removed the evil card from his hand. "Take these, I won't be needing them anymore."

The opponent swiftly removed the two objects from the Pharaoh's hand. Yami, smiling to himself, turned and walked away from the man who had a plan for him. A plan that could have cost the King of Games his very own soul if he made that one foolish mistake.

He stopped in his tracks as his other self stood before him, with a neutral look on his face. Yugi then smiled at his partner for his decision to steer himself away from the Seal's power.

"You did it, Pharaoh," Yugi spoke telepathically. "You had the card in your hand and even though you were about to use it, you chose NOT to. No matter what the outcome of the duel was. I'm so proud of you."

"Thank _you_ , Yugi", the Pharaoh spoke telepathically. "For making me realise what could have been my greatest mistake. I could have lost the duel and my soul if I did play the Seal. My friends will be devastated that I gave up the duel before doing anything else, but someday… someday, they will understand why I did what I did."

And with that, Yami was at peace with himself.


	3. Thanks and public announcement

Hey, guys. I hope you enjoyed my Yu-Gi-Oh fanfic. As a kid, I always knew that Yami shouldn't have played the Seal of Orichalcos in the episode 'The Fate of the Pharaoh Part 2'. Years later, I came across a website named 'TV Tropes' and one of the topics was named 'What an Idiot', and I found out that I was right about how Yami shouldn't have played the Seal when he already knew what it was capable of when activated.

For those you who don't know, the Seal of Orichalcos is a magic card that, when activated, prevents anyone outside the Seal from going in and the duelists inside the Seal from going out. The Seal can take the soul of the duelist who loses, but it will not take anyone's soul when the duel comes to a draw. Whoever activates the Seal, however, will turn evil and so will their monsters (who end up becoming real when being controlled by the Seal's power).

Anyway, I made up this story (in two different versions) because I believed that it would have at least kept Yami in character, a duelist whose hunch would tell him that he would be making a mistake in using the Seal of Orichalcos. Personally, I prefer the first version of the story, as it feels more like he has, on his own, realised that using the Seal would be raising the stakes in a simple duel that had no stakes involved.

Just to let you all know, this is a just public announcement to anyone reading this. It's not a new chapter, and I don't intend to make any new chapters for this story.

Thank you guys for reading and take care. :)


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